Carrot Cake Cupcakes

By Jgebke

Ingredients

• For the cupcakes:
• 1 cup  pecans
• 1 1/2 cups  all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
• 1 teaspoon  ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon  table salt or fine sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon  baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon  baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon  ground nutmeg
• 1 cup  packed dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup  canola oil
• 1 large egg
• 3/4 pound  carrots, coarsely grated (about 2 cups)
• For the frosting:
• 8 ounces  bar cream cheese, at room temperature
• 4 tablespoons  (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon  pure vanilla extract
• pinch table salt or fine sea salt
• 1 1/2 cups  confectioners’ sugar

Details

Servings 12
Adapted from realsimple.com

Preparation

Step 1

Directions

To make the cupcakes: Heat oven to 350° F. Spread the pecans on a rimmed baking sheet and toast in oven, tossing once, until fragrant, 6 to 8 minutes.
Let cool, then roughly chop.

Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. Whisk together the flour, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, baking soda,
and nutmeg in a large bowl; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, oil, and egg; fold in the carrots
and ½ cup of the pecans. Add the carrot mixture to the flour mixture and mix until just combined and evenly moistened (do
not overmix).

Divide the batter among the muffin cups and bake, rotating once, until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes
out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool slightly in the tin, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting: Beat the cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and salt with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Reduce mixer speed
to low and gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar, beating until smooth. Refrigerate the frosting until slightly stiffened,
20 to 30 minutes. Frost the cupcakes, dividing the frosting evenly, and top with the remaining ½ cup of pecans.